Vertiv and IIT Bombay Join Hands to Advance Cooling Strategies for AI-Powered Data Centres
In a significant move to enhance cooling solutions for AI-driven computing workloads in data centres, Vertiv, a global leader in critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced a strategic collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. This partnership comes at a critical juncture as India accelerates its digital transformation and technological advancements.
Background of the Collaboration
The partnership builds on Vertiv’s existing collaborations with various educational institutions across India. The primary goal is to develop a skilled workforce capable of operating and maintaining data centres, thereby addressing the industry’s growing talent gap. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape various sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services, the demand for reliable and high-performance computing infrastructure has surged.
Importance of Innovative Cooling Solutions
Managing the increasing demands of AI workloads requires innovative thinking and strong engineering foundations. This collaboration between Vertiv and IIT Bombay aims to tackle emerging challenges in cooling strategies, preparing the next generation of engineers for the evolving digital landscape.
Formalization of the Initiative
The initiative was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director of IIT Bombay, and Mr. Subhasis Majumdar, Managing Director at Vertiv India. This agreement reinforces a shared commitment to advancing India’s technological capabilities in alignment with the nation’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
Expert Insights
Dr. A. S. Prasad, Vice President of Product Management and Engineering at Vertiv, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating, “At Vertiv, we design and deliver critical power and cooling infrastructure for some of the world’s largest data centers and telecom networks. With decades of real-world experience keeping mission-critical systems running 24×7 across 130+ countries, we are excited to collaborate closely with Professor M. V. Rane from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Bombay, one of India’s foremost experts in refrigeration and thermal systems.”
Combining Expertise for Future Readiness
This partnership aims to combine IIT Bombay’s deep scientific insights with Vertiv’s global engineering expertise. By leveraging real-time learnings from thousands of operating data centres, the collaboration seeks to equip the next generation of thermal engineers, data centre architects, and technology leaders with both academic excellence and industry intuition.
Prof. Shireesh Kedare’s Perspective
Commenting on the partnership, Prof. Shireesh Kedare remarked, “Our collaboration with Vertiv enables us to take research from labs to solutions with direct industrial relevance. As AI and high-performance computing systems evolve, there is a pressing need for approaches that are both technically robust and future-ready. This initiative provides our students and researchers with an opportunity to work at the intersection of innovation and real-world application.”
Innovative Technology Utilized
The technology being utilized in this collaboration is IIT Bombay’s Rotating Contacting Disk (RCD) system. This innovative system features significantly lower air-side pressure drops compared to conventional pad-type precoolers, resulting in reduced fan power and noise while improving water utilization efficiency. The RCD system enables higher cycles of concentration and opens up possibilities for using recycled water or even seawater.
Energy Efficiency and Applications
IIT Bombay’s patented RCD technology, developed under the guidance of Prof. M. V. Rane, is already licensed for wastewater vaporization and CO₂ scrubbing. It has also been demonstrated as an energy-efficient cooling tower with diverse applications, achieving up to four times energy savings in fan power while delivering better performance.
Long-Term Impact of the Partnership
The Vertiv-IIT Bombay partnership is designed to create a long-term impact by providing students and researchers with hands-on exposure to real engineering challenges. It will also offer industry mentorship and deeper engagement with emerging digital infrastructure technologies. Both organizations share a vision of how academia and industry can collaborate to address complex engineering problems while contributing to India’s long-term digital ambitions.
Future Directions
Vertiv plans to explore new avenues of engagement across power, cooling, and infrastructure domains to deepen this collaboration. The goal is to drive innovation that benefits both the industry and society at large, ensuring that the next generation is well-prepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Vertiv and IIT Bombay represents a significant step forward in advancing cooling strategies for AI-powered data centres. By combining academic research with industry expertise, this partnership aims to prepare future engineers for the challenges of a digital world, ensuring a sustainable and efficient technological future.
Note: The information provided in this article is based on the latest updates as of November 2025 and aims to highlight the collaborative efforts between Vertiv and IIT Bombay in advancing cooling strategies for data centres.
